


Who We Are

by QuillsAndInk



Category: Marvel (Avengers), Sherlock (TV), Star Trek (Next Gen), Supernatural
Genre: Data flirting, F/F, F/M, Fluff, High School AU, M/M, Mild Gore, Some angst, but not enough to hurt, cuteness, gay ships are yay ships, sassiness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-20
Updated: 2016-05-20
Packaged: 2018-06-09 15:24:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6912760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuillsAndInk/pseuds/QuillsAndInk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel Novak switches schools due to a brutal attack. Through his nervousness, he finds something greater than he ever imagined</p>
            </blockquote>





	Who We Are

Who We Are

 _We can be who we are_  
Now we are alive  
We can fight  
They cannot contain us  
It's who we are  
We are undying  
We won't hide our faces from the light  
Eliminate the space between us  
It's who we are  
We are forever  
~Who We Are, Red

  
Castiel Novak stood nervously before the front doors of Moonbeam Inter-Galactic High School. Students flooded in around him, excited for their first day back from summer but he remained frozen with anxiety. It was Castiel's junior year, which made him nervous about starting a new school. Everyone else had already had two years to make friends. While Castiel did know one person, his boyfriend of two years, he still felt out of place.

Castiel hadn't had much of a choice in transferring to Moonbeam. Castiel was bullied throughout his high school career, on subjects ranging from his secular reading choices to his sexuality. 

At the end of last year, three boys had found him after his swim class,--the last class of the day--dragged him off to an empty toilet stall and beat him. An hour later Castiel was discovered by his frantic boyfriend bloodied, battered, and lying in a puddle of dirty water and his own urine. 

After the incident, Castiel's parents decided that Castiel could no longer remain at the Lawrence Private Academy. Instead he was to go to Moonbeam, because while Castiel's parents detested inter-species mixing, it was the only other school Castiel could get to by bus. There also was the added bonus of Dean Winchester, Castiel's boyfriend.

Castiel took a deep breath to calm himself and entered the school. He was just past the door when he was enveloped in a hug. 

"Hey, babe." Dean rumbled warmly. Castiel returned his hug tightly. 

"Hello, Dean." He murmured into Dean's shoulder. Dean pulled away, but only to twine his fingers with Castiel's. Castiel felt much better with Dean's calloused palm against his.

"Look at me." Dean told him. Castiel lifted his eyes to meet Dean's green ones. "This is gonna be a good year, Cas. Those assholes at your old school can't get you here." Castiel felt his eyes get wet at Dean's kind words. 

It was Dean who he spoke to after the attack. It was Dean who brought him roses and cookies and fixed him coffee just how he liked it. It was Dean who wrapped him in blankets and watched movies with him and let him talk and cry. Castiel's parents had wanted to send him to therapy, but he didn't need it. He had Dean. 

Soon after the attack, Dean gave Castiel a simple silver band as a promise ring. It was cheap, and a little tarnished but it was a symbol of Dean's love, and Castiel rarely removed it. Castiel had shyly presented Dean with a matching silver band that was only a little nicer, and Dean wore it all the time.

"What's your schedule?" Dean asked, rupturing through Castiel's thoughts. Castiel reached into his pocket and pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper. Castiel unfolded it and handed it to Dean. He scanned it. 

"What does it say?" Castiel asked him.

"It says we have first and seventh together." Dean smiled. "What's your locker number?" 

"220B." Castiel responded.  
"Right next to mine. I wonder who your partner will be?" Dean asked aloud. 

"Not you." Castiel said glumly. Castiel's parent, while generally tolerant of his relationship with Dean, had resolutely refused to allow him to request Dean as a locker partner. They wanted him to 'branch out', as they put it.

"But I'm right next door." Dean bumped Castiel's shoulder playfully. "If your partner's a dick you can just put your stuff in mine." Castiel squeezed Dean's hand gratefully. "C'mon. Our lockers are up on the second floor." Hand in hand, they went to their lockers. No one paid them a half glance. Castiel enjoyed the anonymity of it. Lawrence Private Academy was a small school. Eyes were on everyone, constantly waiting for gossip. No one seemed to care here. 

As soon as they were at their lockers and boy with brown hair shouted across the hall.

"Hey, Winchester!" He raced over to Dean and Castiel and pounded Dean's fist.

"Hey, Tony. Did you have a good summer?" 

"Is that what a commoners are calling the three month block of cruises?" Asked Tony. His rudeness about Dean's relative poorness startled Castiel. But, instead of an angry muscle twitching in his jaw, Dean cracked a grin.

"Don't be a dick." Dean mock-chastened him. "Tony, this is my boyfriend Castiel Novak. Cas, this is Tony Stark."

"How do you do?" Said Castiel, extending a hand that Tony ignored.

"I like him." Tony said bluntly, "he's really pretty." He turned to Castiel. "You're really pretty."

"Don't be hitting on my boyfriend, now." Dean chortled. Tony feigned offense.

"I said he was _pretty_. Not perfect like Steve." Tony shot back.

"What about Steve?" Asked a voice from behind them. Castiel startled badly. Dean pulled him in close.

"Should've mentioned. Cas scares easy." Dean said. Castiel buried his face in Dean's chest. This was _not_ how he wanted his first impression to go.

"I thought you said your boyfriend was tough as nails." Said Tony, crossing his arms over his chest. Castiel's ears went pink with embarrassment.

"He is. He just scares easy. That doesn't make him not tough." Dean replied.

"I'm Steve Rogers." Said the boy who had been behind them. He extended a had to Castiel. He took it shyly, still pinned to Dean's side. Steve was blonde and had a kind face. "Sorry for scaring you." 

"It's okay." Castiel told him. "I'm Castiel Novak." Steve gave him a grin. He he walked over toTony to give him a hug an a quick kiss hello before asking Castiel,

"Where's your locker?"

"Uh, 220B." Castiel replied. 

"Awesome!" Said Steve. He extended his fist to Castiel. "Locker buddies!" Castiel grinned and bumped knuckles with him.

The four boys found their lockers. Dean opened his. Tony had already organized everything. Dean winked at Castiel while Steve figured out the new combination. Dean dumped his things unceremoniously into the bottom of the locker. It sent everything there into complete disarray. 

" _Winchester_!" Tony's aggrieved whine sounded from behind Dean "I _just_ organized that!" Dean chuckled.

"Every time." He pumped his fist. Castiel giggled. Steve popped their locker open. Castiel had brought a divider and they set it up and each put their books in. Steve shut the locker and explained to Castiel that it was a little sticky and would need to be jiggled open.

Tony was busy re-organizing his and Dean's locker. He shot Dean a glare and muttered curses under his breath. 

"C'mon, Cas. We have to get to first period." Dean said. He grabbed Castiel's hand and lead him away.

"See you guys later!" Dean called to Tony and Steve over his shoulder. Castiel waved.  
Dean lead him up the stairs into a classroom. It was already filled with children. Their voices melded into a dull roar. Dean and Cas weaved through the bodies to find two empty desks near the front. Dean scanned the crowd for a moment. 

"John!" Dean called. A blonde boy bounded over.

"Hullo, Dean!" He said. 

"Hello, it's nice to meet you." Said Castiel bravely. He extended a hand.

"John, this is my boyfriend Castiel. Cas, this is John Watson." Dean said. John took Castiel's hand.

"And you." He responded to Castiel warmly.

"If your parents give you any crap about the school, tell them John came all the way from London to attend here." Dean said. Castiel nodded. The bell rang. Castiel sat down immediately. Dean and John were slower. Many didn't sit at all. The chatter lowered only to a dull roar. The teacher wasn't even in the class.

Castiel was confused. At Lawrence Private Academy, the students were expected to be in their seats and silent at the bell. A woman with short, dark hair entered the room. Castiel assumed she was the teacher. 

"Hey! C'mon guys, find your seats." She said. Slowly, teenagers found seats with their friends and stopped chatting. "For any new kids, I'm Ms. Mills. I can't wait to get started, this is gonna be a fun year. I'll pass out the syllabus and you guys get to know the people around you. Find a seat you like, after ten minutes, I'll write up the seating chart to be as you are, so if you don't like where you're at, move." Castiel, Dean and John remained where they were. 

"God, I hate the first day," John lamented, "we never do _anything_." Castiel gave a small smile. Less stress was always good. The students chattered and Ms. Mills just wrote down the seating chart. By the time class ended, Castiel felt much less anxiety. He and Dean said goodbye to John and walked to Castiel's psychology class. Dean drew Castiel in for a hug and a kiss. 

"Go get 'em, tiger." Dean said. And with one last parting kiss, he left for is own class. Castiel took a seat near the front. Beside him was a girl with dark hair and eyes. The teacher handed out the syllabus and began to explain his expectations.

"You're nervous." Castiel jumped at the whispered words. The girl beside him was watching him intently. Castiel shakily extended a hand.

"My name's Castiel."

"I'm Deanna Troi." The girl flicked her eyes to the whiteboard and then back to Castiel.

"Is it that obvious that I'm nervous?" Castiel whispered to her. Deanna shook her head.

"No. I can just tell. I'm half Betazoid." She responded. Her voice was warm. Castiel gave her a half smile.

"Thanks."

"You don't have to be nervous. Is today your first day?" She asked.

"Yes." Castiel nodded.

"Moonbeam is a good school. You don't have to be worried." Deanna's tone was calm and it put some of Castiel's anxiety to rest. 

They chatted quietly for the rest of the period. Castiel learned that Deanna was dating one of John Watson's friends, Molly Hooper and they were both friends with Dean. At the bell, Deanna gave him directions to his math classroom and they waved a friendly goodbye. 

Castiel found his math classroom without getting lost, which he considered a feat. Inside he found Tony and a tall boy with a thick mess of black curls. 

"Cas!" Tony called with a grin, beckoning Castiel over.

"Awesome! Dean Winchester shacked up with a nerd." Castiel didn't quite know how to react to that, so he settled with a small smile. 

The boy beside Tony who had been coolly assessing Castiel gave a snort.

"Hi, I'm..." Castiel began. The other boy cut him off.

"You're Castiel Novak, I know." He said. "You were attacked." Castiel froze. Dean swore up and down he never spoke about what happened to anyone. Could he have...?

"Shut up, Sherlock." Tony groused. He cast an eye over Castiel. "You were attacked?" Castiel hunched his shoulders.

"No. I mean yes, that's true, but I don't want to talk about it." Castiel said. Tony wisely kept silent. Sherlock continued his observation. 

Castiel usually enjoyed math, but the exchange about the attack left him sick to his stomach. Had Dean told Sherlock? 

The next period, anatomy, passed at a crawl and Castiel couldn't get the sinking sensation out of his heart. He met Molly Hooper, and found her to be nice, but found himself incapable of focusing on their conversation.

"C'mon." Molly said at the bell,

"I'll take you to our usual lunch spot."

"Thanks." He followed Molly out the front doors and into the school's playing field. Beneath a large tree was Dean, Steve, Sherlock and John. 

"Hullo, boys!" Molly called. Dean, who had been lounging on the grass, stood and immediately broke into a grin when he saw Castiel. 

"Hey, babe!" Dean shouted as Castiel and Molly approached. "I got your lunch from your locker, and...wait what's wrong?" Castiel's stomach dropped. Dean looked so concerned. He wrapped Castiel in a tight hug. Castiel, against his best wishes melted against him.

"You told him." Castiel whispered into Dean's chest.

"What?" Dean sounded confused.

"Told who?" Castiel took a shuddering breath, trying not to cry.

"Sherlock. He knew. About the attack." Dean gave a growl.

"No, I didn't. That _asshole_." Dean kissed the top of Castiel's head.

"How could he know?"Castiel asked. He felt Dean shrug.

"It's a mind thing he does. He can just tell stuff about people. But what he doesn't know is to when to keep his trap shut." Dean cradled Castiel's head. "I would never tell anyone, sweetheart."

"I know." Castiel mumbled, "I'm sorry for doubting you." Dean kissed his hair again in lieu of a reply.

"Sherlock!" Dean barked, disrupting him from a conversation with John.

"What is it, Winchester?" Sherlock asked coolly. John elbowed him at his tone.

"Don't try to deduce shit about my boyfriend." Dean said, pointing an accusatory finger. "If you would have made him cry, I'd've had to knock some sense into you." 

" _Sherlock_." John huffed in exasperation, "Come on, Castiel doesn't even know you!"

"Exactly why he's the perfect subject to hone my skills." Sherlock argued.

"You can't be that cold-blooded." Steve replied, "Cas probably looked upset. Isn't that enough for an apology?"

"Yeah." John quipped, scooting away from Sherlock's side. "No more cuddles from me until you apologize." Sherlock sulked.

"Sorry." He mumbled. John returned to him. Sherlock wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Castiel nodded.

"Thank you. 'S okay." Dean smiled.

"Was that so hard?" He asked teasingly. Sherlock glared at him. Dean led Castiel over to their lunch boxes and they knelt in the grass to eat.

Deanna, Tony and an android boy named Data soon joined them. Molly and Deanna entwined themselves together, so close that one couldn't tell where one ended and the other began. 

Castiel smiled at the snugly couple. He always had been a hopeless romantic. Dean followed his gaze and ruffled his hair.

"C'mon, Cas. No chick flick moments." Dean grinned. Castiel gave him a playful cuff. 

"Where's Data?" Castiel asked. Tony nodded over to a different part of the field. Data was talking to a girl.

"He's trying to learn about human courting rituals or whatever." Tony said with glee.

"Hey, there, baby! Wanna catch a meal at the local watering hole?" Data said loudly. The girl he was talking looked a little scared. Tony doubled over with giggles. He rolled on the grass and buried his face in Steve's lap to muffle his laughter. Data returned to the group.

"She had no desire to enter into courtship with me." Data declared clinically. He sat down beside Molly and Deanna. 

"Better luck next time, man." Dean said. Data nodded. Deanna gave his shoulder a friendly pat.  
The bell rang to end lunch and the group passed hugs around. Castiel felt warm fuzzies in his chest. He was making _friends_. Dean took his hand and guided him to his Theology class. In front of the door, Dean drew him in for an extended kiss. Castiel struggled against his hold.

"Come on, Dean! If I'm late, to Theology of all things, I'm screwed." He couldn't help but laugh. Dean held him fast.

"Oh, I'll show you screwed, baby. Biblically." Dean rumbled. Castiel shoved at him.

"I need to get to class. Just because you have a free period..." Dean kissed him again, and gave his butt a friendly pat as a send off. Castiel squawked and went to find a seat. He knew no one in the Theology class, be he didn't mind. He had friends at Moonbeam. Real, actual _friends_. 

After Theology was German. Data was in that class. Castiel found the android quirky, but likable. And he was a wiz a languages. Castiel made a mental note that he would be a good resource for studying. 

The bell rang and Dean was waiting for Castiel at the door.. He kissed Castiel hello and twined their fingers together. The walked hand in hand to their tech class.

"You're still coming over after school, right?" Dean asked casually.

"Of course." Castiel responded. They reached their classroom and took side by side seats. Dean tapped aimlessly at the keyboard as the teacher droned about the curriculum. Castiel sighed and laid his head on Dean's shoulder. The bell rang and Castiel and Dean strolled up to their lockers.

The rest of their friend group was already there and chattering brightly. Sherlock and John's locker, 221B was a mess and they were arguing about it. Steve waved at Castiel and Castiel walked over to him.

"Cas, you need anything?" Steve asked. Castiel shook his head.

"No, you can shut it." Steve did. Tony came over and kissed Steve deeply. Deanna, wrinkled her nose and looked away.

"Do you two have to have so much PDA?" Molly asked in disgust. 

"Look who's talking." Tony shot back amiably.

"I kiss my girlfriend. I cuddle with her. I do _not_ perform tonsillectomies on her." Molly stated primly. Castiel huffed out a soft chuckle at her terminology. Tony looked scandalized. 

"Cas, we gotta go to Sam's school to get picked up by Mom. Let's _go_." Dean said. Hugs and goodbyes were passed around. Dean gallantly offered Castiel his arm, which Castiel accepted and they trekked out of Moonbeam and into the late summer warmth. 

After a few blocks, they passed Castiel's old school. Castiel tensed and Dean rubbed his back soothingly. One boy broke from the throng of teens standing near the front gate. Castiel's heart froze. It was Michael. The ringleader of the boys who had attacked him.

"Hey there, faggot." Michael called. "It seems you can still walk. Well, let me remedy that." He approached. Dean half stepped in front of Castiel.

"Touch him and you'll be dead before you hit the ground. You understand me? Do I make myself clear?" Dean snarled.

"J-just leave us alone." Castiel said. Every muscle in his body trembled. He was pressed so tightly to Dean he wasn't sure he would be able to discern them as different people from afar.

"Oh? It can talk. I would say that took some stones, Novak, but I'm rather sure I crushed them." Michael sneered.

Castiel felt the muscles in Dean's shoulder contract. He swung. A vicious hit to Michael's temple sent him slamming into the concrete. 

"That's for my boyfriend." Dean murmured. His tone was venom. "And this," He brought his foot down hard on Michael's nose. Blood spurted from it. "This is for me." Dean wrapped an arm around Castiel and guided him out of sight of Lawrence Private Academy. He tugged Castiel into a tight hug. Dean kissed his hair. Castiel wept into the front of Dean's shirt, clinging for dear life. 

"S-sorry." Castiel mumbled. Dean rubbed his back.

"If I were you, I'd be crying too." Dean admitted. "You were so brave, baby. You stood up to him." Castiel had to pause at that. He did. He was still scared, but he stood up to Michael. He'd still have nightmares and anxiety and every other damn thing, but he'd said something. That felt good. 

After a few minutes his crying stopped. Dean pulled a tissue from his backpack and tenderly dabbed at Castiel's face. Dean leaned in for a chaste kiss on his lips and another on his cheek. 

"I love you, Dean." Castiel said. 

"I love you too, Cas." Dean replied. They resumed walking hand in hand until the reached Sam's middle school. He and Dean's mother, Mary were waiting in her car. Sam was sitting in the passenger seat.

Dean and Castiel put their backpacks in the trunk and slipped into the back. Castiel laced his fingers with Dean's. 

"What took you so long, jerk?" Sam asked. Dean grinned.

"None of your business, bitch." 

"Boys." Mary chastened gently. "Dean, Cas, how was your day?" She asked as she began to drive to home.

"It was good, Mom." Dean said. Castiel smiled at Dean.

"It was great."

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: I do not own nor do I claim to own Supernatural, the Avengers, Star Trek, or Sherlock. Each series belongs fully to its respective owners. I also do not own the lyrics at the beginning. They belong to the band Red. All rights reserved. I own nothing but the plot. I make no monetary benefit from this story. I live to entertain.


End file.
